Somerset Trojans 1 Young Men’s Social Club 2

Young Men’s Social Club survived a late surge from Somerset Trojans to secure a vital three points at Somerset Cricket Club on Saturday night.

Social Club were cruising with a 2-0 lead after a powerful header from Josh Hardtman and captain Ryan Parris’s penalty, but Trojans reduced the deficit in the latter stages of the game after a goalkeeping error by Saki Tuzo gave Social Club’s coach Michael Smith some anxious moments.

“I am happy with the result as we stuck to the game plan for most of the game,” Smith said. “We came up here and did what we aimed to do but that late goal put a little pressure on us.”

Trojans took the game to the away side from the opening whistle with all-out attack as they breached Social Club’s backline and forced Tuzo to rush off his line on two occasions to make desperate clearances and they should have taken an early lead but Paris Robinson sliced Julian Greaves’s corner wide of the upright from inside the six -yard box.

Despite that start the opening goal fell to Social Club approaching the half-hour mark when the Trojans committed a careless foul on the touchline and were punished when Josh Hardtman rose unchallenged at the back post to head home a perfect cross from David Jones.

Trojans had a golden opportunity to equalise shortly after the break but Greaves’s low driven free kick eluded Jaz Ratteray-Smith’s outstretched boot for a simple tap-in.

Social Club doubled their lead when Jomeko Mallory dispossessed defender Taj-Rae Outerbridge and headed for goal only to be bundled over from behind with Barbadian referee Jamar Springer awarding a penalty. Captain Parris coolly slotted his spot-kick to the right of the Trojans’ goalkeeper, Yizharyah Williams.

Attacking midfielder Jones was a menace to the Trojans defence with his forceful runs and managed to bring out the best from Williams, who had to push a left-footed thunderbolt away from goal.

With the minutes ticking down, Trojans pulled one back when Tuzo misjudged Greaves’s high free kick from just over the halfway line as it bounced behind him into the roof of the net and with nearly the last kick of the game, the home side should have levelled the score, but Jiriko Powell shot straight at the goalkeeper from just inside the penalty area.

The win moves Social Club seven points clear of the Trojans, who are in the relegation zone with six league matches to play.

SCORERS

Somerset Trojans: Greaves 88

Young Men’s Social Club: J Hardtman 27, Parris 56 pen

TEAMS

Somerset Trojans (4-2-3-1): Y Williams 7 — J Shields 5 (sub: E Mendes, 88min) , T Outerbridge 5, Jaz Ratteray-Smith 6, M Tear-Deleon 5 — J Greaves 7 (sub: Kamani McNeil, 88), M Nisbett-Tankard 6 — K Cann 5, R Russell 5, Jadan Ratteray-Smith 5 — P Robinson 5 (sub: H Eve, 58 5). Substitutes not used: J Simmons, Kameron McNeil, M Wilson. Booked: Robinson, Outerbridge.

Young Men’s Social Club (4-2-3-1): S Tuzo 7 — K Smith 6 (sub: B Swan, 58 6), R Parris 7, Kelvon Butterfield 6, T Butterfield 6 — G Butterfield 5 (sub: S Jennings, 88), J Johnson 6 — J Hardtman 6, D Jones 7, J Mallory 6 (sub: R Clacken, 72) — M Wilson 6 (sub: J Richardson, 88). Substitutes not used: Keshun Butterfield, C Hardtman. Booked: Johnson, Jones.

Referee: J Springer (Barbados).